Can't Stay Away
by Cinaminsweet
Summary: Veronica gets a visitor when she takes Backup for a walk.


**This has spoilers for episode 2.08 Ahoy Mateys. This was written for Larinzia's Happiest Things Challenge on LJ where my theme was dog-walking. It is my first time attempting to write L/V.**

Veronica stormed into the Mars Investigations office, praying that her father wouldn't be there. The last thing she wanted was for him to see her in her current state: shaking all over with tears running down her face. Thankfully he was in his office with the door closed, and from the muffled voices coming from inside, she could tell he was probably with a client.

Sitting down at her desk, she laid her head down on top of it and quietly sobbed. She reached up and wiped tears, her hand massaging the cheek that just moments ago was about to be marred forever by a tattoo needle. She hated to think what would have happened if Logan hadn't come in at that moment.

Logan. Ugh, she didn't even want to think about him. She couldn't believe that he was walking around, carrying a gun. She didn't understand what was wrong with him. Some part of her had hoped that after she had broken up with him for setting the community pool on fire that he would stop with all these crazy, dangerous stunts and just be…normal. But, no, he was still running around, banging the wives of important, potentially dangerous businessmen, and carrying guns. She would never be able to figure him out.

Suddenly she felt something nudge her leg and she looked down and saw Backup beside her. She stroked the top of his head as he kneeled up and started licking the tears off her face.

"Hey, boy," she said as the tears on her face were quickly replaced with dog slobber. "Looks like you missed me, huh?"

The door to her father's office opened and a man walked out. "Thank you for your time, Mr. Mars," he said as Keith appeared in the doorway. "I'll be in touch."

"New client?" Veronica asked, as the man walked out the door.

"Mr. Elliott," Keith replied. "He suspects his daughter's fiancé is cheating on her and of course he wants it proven before the guy breaks his little princess's heart. Speaking of little princesses, how are you doing?"

She smiled brightly at him, hoping he wouldn't be able to see that she'd been crying. "Me, a little princess? I don't think so. But I'm fine, of course."

He looked at her carefully. He could tell she wasn't exactly fine. She must've forgotten that he probably knew her better than she knew herself. He could tell she'd been crying.

"Is it Duncan?" he asked. "Do I need to go give him my break-my-daughter's-heart-and -I'll-break-your-arm speech?"

"No, really, it's nothing," she told him. "I just had a long day at school."

Keith noticed Backup still squirming excitedly around Veronica. "He probably needs to be taken out," he told her. "He's been cooped up in here all day. You both look like you could use the fresh air."

Veronica thought for a moment. Taking Backup for a walk always did seem to clear her head.

"Good idea," she said, snapping on his leash and herding him outside.

She unsnapped Backup's leash and let him run ahead of her. She smiled as she watched him growl at squirrels in his path and leap after butterflies. She wished her life was as carefree as Backup's. But, no, she had a boyfriend who was getting weirder by the minute and harder to figure out everyday, an ex-boyfriend with a death wish, and a best friend who'd run off halfway across the country and wouldn't return her calls or emails.

Yeah, she thought bitterly. Life is good.

She ended up at the beach, tossing sticks for Backup to catch as he ran through the sand.

"Alright, boy," she said after awhile, clipping his leash back on his collar. "Let's go. On top of everything else I have to deal with, I've got a ton of physics homework tonight."

"If it helps, I'm rather proficient with Newton's second law," a voice said behind her.

She whirled around and saw Logan looking down at her.

"What, are you following me now?" she asked. "What are you doing here?"

"Oh, is it against the law for people to go to the beach now? Do I need to ask your permission first? Maybe I just came here to enjoy the crisp, clean air. I might not get many more chances to do this, seeing as how I'm sure to get killed any day now."

She smirked at the sarcastic tone in his voice. "That's just great, Logan, make jokes about it. What if Danny Boyd had had a gun of his own? What would you have done then? Shot him? You're already accused of one murder, might as well make it two, right?"

"Actually," he said quietly. "I was looking for you. I wanted to make sure you were alright."

"I'm fine, thank you," she shot back.

"Ahh, there's that thank you I was waiting for. You know, for saving your life and all?"

"So what do you want, a prize or something?" Holding tightly to Backup's leash, she turned to walk away.

"What is your problem?" he asked, grabbing her arm. "Why are you acting like this? You act like I shot your dog or something."

"My problem is you!" she shouted and, to her horror, tears came to her eyes again. "Why do you keep doing these things? Carrying guns, sleeping with married women…what is wrong with you? Do you have some kind of death wish?"

"What does it matter to you? The way you act it seems as if you can't wait to be rid of me. The way I see it I'm just doing you a favor. You don't care anything about me."

She looked up at him with tears streaming down her cheeks. "That's just it, Logan. I can't stop caring about you. And that's what scares me most of all."

Pulling on the leash, she walked away, Backup trotting ahead of her. She never looked back to see Logan still standing there, staring after her.


End file.
